Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide details of the type and frequency of North South engagement his Department undertakes; the current priorities in this area; the number of whole time equivalent staff assigned to these matters; the grades involved and the amount of time each grade spends on North South Activities as a proportion of their WTE employment; the co-ordination arrangements that have been put in place; if there are any current vacancies in North South Co-operation unites; the duration of this vacancy and the steps being taken to fill the vacancy. [48545/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware the North South Co-operation unit which was in the Department of Finance, transferred with its responsibilities, to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, when that department was established. Up until then Officials within my Department worked closely with the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) in Northern Ireland as joint sponsors of the Special EU Programmes Body, one of the North South implementation bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. My Officials also worked closely with the Special EU Programmes Body and DFP with regard to the management and implementation of the EU co-funded cross border programmes, PEACE III and Interreg IVA. This work was undertaken within the framework of the North South Ministerial Council which I regularly attend meetings of.